Choro-Q (チョロQ) is a series of Japanese 3–4 cm long toy
cars, with coil-spring pullback motors, first made by Takara in 1978,
and sold extensively in Western markets as Penny Racers.
The name comes from the Japanese word "Choro-choro" which means "dash
around" and an abbreviation of "cute" which in its Japanese adaptation
connotes both the aesthetic meaning and also the meaning of petite in
size.
The Choro-Q car designs are largely based on illustrations by Yasuhiro
Nakamura (中村安広) who also design its covers for books and
videogames.

Contents

1 Features
2 Specialty models
3 Video games
4 External links

Features[edit]
Most Choro-Q feature real rubber tires (usually with larger ones on
the rear) and the characteristic coil-spring pullback motor. Also,
each Choro-Q is a "cute" squeezed design caricature of the actual
vehicle it represents. This type of caricature is also known as
"deformed scale" as it gives the car a foreshortened or deformed
appearance. What is also distinct about the cars is the slot at the
rear, where a small coin can be inserted for the wheelie effect.
The toy line is highly popular and has become collectible, even
outside Japan, due to its low price and its merchandising line which
includes JGTC and various licensed car editions and has also spawned a
series of videogames bearing the same name. The toy line has also lent
its moulding to the Micro-Change and Transformers line of toys.
In addition to "Penny Racers", Choro-Q pullback cars were also
marketed under the Tonka branding in the late 1980s as "Tonka Turbo
Tricksters". "Penny Racers" in the US are still marketed by Funrise,
but are less popular for collectors compared with their true-to-life
counterparts marketed elsewhere, and versus the ones formerly sold by
Tonka. "Penny Racers" tend to be garishly colored and given silly
names, ignoring the actual names of the makes and models, and marketed
for US children, whereas the Choro Q in the far East are made to a
much higher quality standard and many are specifically designed for
the adult collector, with high detail and/or tiny, incredibly detailed
racing graphics and occasionally other realistic gimmicks such as
fold-out headlights.
Originally produced in Japan, the manufacture subsequently has
occurred variously in Taiwan, Macau and China. The models represent
various makes and models of all kinds of actual cars, trucks, trains,
and even planes and military and construction vehicles. There are even
versions representing just about every bus and train line in Japan.
Choro-Q are also produced in limited special runs for promotional
purposes. Models are licensed and produced for automotive
manufacturers and dealers, or as tchotchkes for marketing of other
products and services. They even released a Major League Baseball
line.
The first Choro-Q cars were more geared toward children, with primary
colors and low detail. They have grown more sophisticated over time
and now are for the most part cast in a uniform clear, colored or
smoked resin plastic which is then painted, thus leaving the
windshields and headlights, etc. transparent for added realism. From
early on, Takara offered accessories and various spare parts and
modification parts, including different motors to give a higher speed.
Recently the newer Choro-Q are sold from the factory with various
styles of spring-wound motors, including slow (for trucks and
machinery), normal (for normal cars), and fast (for sports cars).
There is even a 2-speed motor that starts out slow and then shifts to
a higher gear.
Specialty models[edit]
Unusual Choro-Q which have the wheels and pull-back motor but are not
modelled after vehicles are also common, often sold as special
collectibles. This includes Choro-Q in the shape of common regional
symbols such as carved wood bears of Hokkaido and popular symbols from
other regions such monkeys, salmon eggs, sea urchin, etc. sold only in
certain regions and marketed at local domestic tourists.
In 2013, following the example of the Tomica line with its Limited
Vintage models, Takura Tomy unveiled Choro-Q Zero, a premium series of
classical Japanese cars aimed at the collectors market.
The Choro-Q brand has been extended, often with a small name change
which is a pun on the original name, to cover other small toys or
novelties, both with and without the wheels and motor, including

Digi-Q: Electronic remote control versions of Choro-Q cars which used
infrared technology instead of radio control. These products were
developed in conjunction with Konami.
Choco-Q: Chocolate egg with a small capsule toy inside
Puka-Q: Bath salts compressed into an egg shape, which, when dissolved
in the bath, reveals a small toy inside
Choro-Juu: ("Ju" [獣], meaning beast or monster, from 怪獣) Small
monster toys which moved with a friction motor and had other gimmicks
such as sparks shooting from the mouth.
Choro-Chuu ("Chu" [虫], insect or bug, from 昆虫): Realistic
plastic and rubber figures of various beetles, with wheels and a
pull-back motor for movement.
Jumbo Choro-Q: This is a large-scale version of the small toys but
approximately 30 cm in length. They have the same pull-back motor
gimmick and the hood also opened to reveal a storage space for
standard sized Choro-Q toys.
Q-steer: A more inexpensive infra-red remote control version of
Choro-Q cars than the earlier Digi-Q, this line was first released in
2006 after the merger with TOMY and for several years became one of
the best selling toy lines in Japan. They come in Normal, Tamiya Dune
Buggies, Mario Kart Wii and Doraemon versions.
CQ Motors: The most ambitious brand extension of all, this wholly
owned subsidiary of Takara, founded in 2002, manufactured and sold
actual single-passenger, electric automobiles modelled after the toy
cars. The cars are street-legal (though not permitted on highways),
require a standard driver's license for operation and have a top speed
of about 50 km/h and a range of about 80 km on a single
charge. Several models were sold, priced in the 1-1.5 million yen
range. Although sales have been discontinued, as many as 500 were sold
in all. In a country known for the prowess of its automobile industry
it is remarkable that at one point, Takara, a toy company, had the
highest share of electric cars on the road in Japan.
Choro-Q Deck System (CDS): A system of special customizable Choro-Q
cars and track designed for head-on crash "battle" competitions. The
innovative "deck system" allows the easy swapping of the principle car
components by putting each component in a card-like frame. Swappable
components include the chassis-engine, front-end battering ram, outer
body and special deflecting side wings. After stacking a unique
combination of component cards like a deck of cards, a unique vehicle
comes together which can be easily detached from the deck and put into
battle on the track. The object of the competition is to design a
vehicle which will knock the opponent off the track in a head-to-head
crash battle.
Choro-Q Hybrid: A newer version of the Digi-Q and Q-Steer, the Choro-Q
Hybrid is available in two chassis types, Remote Type and Spring Type.
The car bodies can be removed easily with a screwdriver so they can be
swapped onto other chassis types or traded. They also include
additional pieces that are fitted to the tyres or underside to perform
special tricks, and slot car tracks to race on. The speed of the
Remote Type's Dash button has vastly increased, and the Mario Kart Wii
cars come with an Item Randomiser on the remote. The remote sizes have
increased and the cars are charged via remote.

Video games[edit]
Dozens of Choro Q video games using the Choro-Q brand and themes have
been released. These games, which have been released on many
platforms, are racing genre with varying customization and RPG
elements. Many of the games have been ported and translated with
moderate success internationally, sometimes under the Choro-Q name,
but also under other names such as Penny Racers, Gadget Racers and
Road Trip.
External links[edit]